When Women Lead–Peace Follows 

From June 12 to 18, Sarajevo was the center of women’s peace activism with a vibrant cultural-educational program “Women Lead. Peace Follows.”, organized alongside the international conference “From Gender Justice to Sustainable Peace: A 25-Year Vision”, which brought together more than 150 participants from across the country, the region, and the world.  The European House of Culture and National Minorities in Sarajevo served as a dynamic meeting point for artists, activists, representatives of civil society, institutions, and international organizations. Through a wide array of content, including exhibitions, performances, book, publication, and film presentations, as well as public discussions, the program showcased the strength, resilience, and contributions of women from all parts of BiH in building trust, sustainable peace, and a safer future for all. 

This seven-day program was the result of collaboration and synergy among various initiatives implemented by the UN agencies and civil society organizations with the support of the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), and in partnership with numerous international and domestic partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The organizers were committed to providing space for often invisible peace advocates, whose contribution is indispensable, as art and culture enable authentic expression and healing from trauma. 

Edita Miftari, Programme Specialist for Women, Peace and Security at UN Women BiH said: 

“Difficult topics related to war experiences are deeply painful because they touch the most intimate spheres of human life. Yet, they can be more easily shared through art, which gives voice to survivors, heals and connects. We hope that this program has contributed to that process”. 

The program opened with the evocative dance performance “Displaced Rhythms” by Aldina Topčagić, soprano Margareta Klobučar, and saz  music played by Jusuf Brkić, touching upon themes of identity, memory, and healing. 

On the same day, the War Childhood Museum ’s exhibition “Speaking Out” was opened, developed in collaboration with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and children born of war in BiH. The exhibition is the culmination of months of work documenting experiences and body-mapping workshops led by experienced mediators, empowering survivors to transform their trauma into authentic artistic expression and advocacy for recognition, rights, justice, and against stigmatization. 

At the exhibition’s opening, Midheta Kaloper, President of the War Victims Association Foča 92–95, emphasized the importance of memorialization in public spaces, so that no crime and no victim will be ever forgotten. 

Amina Krvavac, Director of the War Childhood Museum, noted: 

“The process of creating the exhibition allowed the participants to view their lives not only through the lens of trauma, but also through positive experiences and hope for the future. Their stories were transformed into an exhibition that conveys their voices and messages to society.” 

On the second day of the program, in partnership with the French Institute and the Embassy of France in BiH, the documentary film Stitch by Stitch by French author Nicolas Mingasson was presented. The film tells the story of the NGO “Udružene”, which gathers women through traditional handcrafts. What began as form of a creative expression to help women cope with trauma has grown into a driver of their economic and social empowerment, particularly supporting women from marginalized groups.  

Later, the program featured the documentary “Bigger than Trauma” with testimonies of women from Croatia who bravely walk the path of healing and reconciliation through group therapy. A discussion with the director followed, who shared her five-year experience working on the film and her close connection with the women who opened up their deepest memories. The discussion was moderated by Nebojša Jovanović on behalf of the Sarajevo Film Festival, a partner of the event. 

The director of this film Vedrana Pribačić stated: 

“After the war, we rebuild roads, plant trees, starting new economy, reconstruct buildings. But people remain where they were - traumatized, broken, devastated. The protagonists of my film were raped and detained for months during the war, and although they only entered the empowerment program 25 years later, they achieved significant progress. We can only imagine how much more could have been achieved if they had started earlier and if their families had been included.” 

The panel discussion “Women and Street Names”, moderated by journalist and activist Milkica Milojević from Banja Luka, focused on the importance of naming public spaces after women who have shaped communities, but whose contributions often remain unrecognized. Radmila Žigić and Dragana Petrić from the Lara Foundation in Bijeljina presented the initiative “100 Women – 100 Streets”, while author Jasmina Čaušević spoke about her publication “Lexicon of Women Who Broke Boundaries”, dedicated to women who left an indelible mark across the country. Activists Lana Jajčević from the Peace with Women’s Face initiative and the United Women Foundation from Banja Luka, Tatjana Hasanović from Lukavac and Marijana Grgić from Vitez, shared experiences from their local communities, courageous steps taken, obstacles faced, and the importance of women’s contributions in public spaces. This session was enriched with a presentation of the Peace with Women’s Face campaign and the short film “The Women’s Side of Freedom”, both conveying powerful messages of resistance, freedom, and solidarity. 

As part of the program, activist Esma Drkenda from Goražde presented her autobiography- a powerful testimony recounting her journey from childhood in pre-war Yugoslavia, through surviving the war and frontline in her hometown of Goražde, to post-war trauma and the healing she found through leadership in the women’s movement. Across these three segments, Esma writes about societal changes as well as her own inner transformation. During the promotion, she read a moving excerpt from her book and opened important topics in a moderated discussion with the audience. 

“My book is intended primarily for young people who did not live through the war, so they can understand from an authentic testimony what we experienced, how senseless war is, how many lives it destroys, how many destinies it rewrites. But it is also for anyone engaged in peacebuilding, women’s rights, trauma, and resilience, because through personal stories, we can better understand the bigger picture and the strength it takes to speak about difficult experiences,” said Esma. 

Ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, the program also featured a short film about Ajna Jusić, President of the Forgotten Children of War Association, directed by journalist and filmmaker Slađana Lučić. After the screening, a discussion with youth followed, titled “Shifting Perspectives: Storytelling, Silence, and Speaking Truth”, focusing on identity, transgenerational trauma, and the power of art to speak where society remains silent. In addition to the film director, the discussion included activist Ana Elena Banduka and Professor Lejla Turčilo, moderated by BIRN BiH journalist Semir Mujkić. The dialogue centered on the role of film and media in breaking taboos, empowering survivors, and opening space for truth and reconciliation. 

This program was held as part of the initiative “Women Lead the Way Towards Peace and Security in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, supported by the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and jointly implemented by UN Women, UNFPA, and IOM on behalf of the United Nations in BiH in partnership with the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The international conference was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark, while the partners of the cultural-educational programe include: War Childhood Museum, Austrian Cultural Forum Sarajevo, Embassy of France in BiH, French Institute in BiH, UK International Development, Sarajevo Film Festival, Municipality Center Sarajevo, BIRN BiH, and the Peace with Women’s Face initiative.